Abuse of Power

A just leader does not abuse his power over his people. He treats them equally and he applies the law to every individual fairly. According to a Hadith found in Saheeh Bukhari and Muslim, a woman of a high-ranking family from the Jewish community had stolen. Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) passed judgement to amputate her hand. The people found it very hard and they wanted Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) to change his verdict. They requested Hazrat Usama (Radiyallahu Anhu), whom Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) loved a lot, to intercede on her behalf. Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) became very angry with him and pointed out that this behaviour destroyed the people of the past because they were applying the law on the low-class people only. As for those of influence, they were exempted from all laws. Moreover, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) informed them that the law of Allah Ta’ala must be applied fairly without any discrimination or favouring anyone to such an extent that if Hazrat Faatimah (Radiyallahu Anha), the daughter of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam), had committed this crime, she would have been dealt with in the same way.

[English version of "Abus de pouvoir" – Al Jamiat – Vol.4 No.2]